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Although it may seem that military style has exploded within pop culture only over the past 30 years, garments first introduced by the American and British armed forces have been a staple of civilian dress and a major reference point for the fashion industry since the 1950s. Everyone from teenyboppers to retired CEOs can be found in military-inspired clothing, whether they realize it or not. In fact, military silhouettes, fabrics and details have become so omnipresent throughout society that many designers and consumers may not know their histories or intended uses. The following list takes a closer look at the origins of five military garments that have transformed fashion and how they became standards of the modern wardrobe.

Khakis (and Chinos)

Although khakis have been a hallmark of preppy style for nearly 70 years, they—like the other garments on this list—have functional military roots. In fact, khakis are one of the oldest military garments still worn today, dating all the way back to 1847-1848 when Sir Harry Lumsden—a British military officer who had previously served in Lahore, Punjab during the First Anglo-Sikh War—was chosen to command a unit known as the Corps of Guides, which was responsible for collecting intelligence and guiding British Soldiers throughout the Northwest Frontier of India. While leading his new unit, Lumsden noticed that, due to the dusty backdrop of the countryside, his soldiers’ gleaming white British-issued uniforms were making them easy targets for snipers; as a solution, Lumsden had his men dye their uniforms with tea or river mud, which darkened the clothes to what we now call “khaki” (after the Hindi word “khak,” meaning “dust-colored”) and created a form of camouflage. In 1857-1858, during the Indian Rebellion, the Magistrate of Meerut chose Lumsden’s recently created uniform to outfit the Khaki Risala, a patrol unit tasked with keeping the Delhi Road clear of Indian mutineers.

By the end of the 19th century, a colorfast khaki dye had been patented and the trousers became a staple of numerous militaries across the world, including of the US Army during the Spanish-American War of 1898. Although it lasted a mere four months, the war was long enough for American soldiers to rechristen the trousers “chinos,” a bastardization of the Spanish word for Chinese or China, supposedly after the country where the pants’ cotton twill fabric was woven.

Interestingly, khakis did not become popular with civilians until after World War II, nearly a hundred years after their creation. American veterans returning to college brought their khakis along with them, since the pants were durable and easy to wash and dry—a perfect fit for busy dorm life. Soon, other college students began to wear khakis too, especially at Ivy League schools such as Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Brown, which paved the way for the “Ivy League look” that proliferated college campuses throughout the 1950’s and has subsequently influenced generations of designers from Ralph Lauren to Thom Browne. Although khakis have taken on duller associations, as they’ve become a staple of the American office look over the years, numerous brands—from Kapital to Saint Laurent—also use the pants as a blank canvas to infuse their own aesthetics.

Flight Jackets and Bomber Jackets

The Flight Jacket has arguably the most extensive history of any military garment. The US Army Air Corps standardized the first Flight Jacket, known as type A-1, on November 27th, 1927. The jacket was made from a kind of sheepskin known as capeskin and featured a button front, two front patch pockets with button flaps, a ribbed worsted wool collar and hem and a cotton sateen lining. The Air Corps specified that the A-1 be produced in an olive drab color, but most vintage jackets that can still be found today are a shade of chestnut brown. In 1931, the Air Corps updated the type A-1 with the type A-2 jacket, which was made for pilots flying in open cockpits. The jacket was produced to be as windproof as possible, so a hidden front zipper placket was added, along with a leather point collar. The A-2 was cut from a horsehide leather, which was relatively inexpensive at the time, and came in shades of Seal Brown.

The type A-2 jacket was so effective that the Air Corps used it for over a decade, two years into the US military’s engagement in World War II (type B-3 and B-6 jackets were introduced in the interim years, but are different enough styles from the A-2 that they deserve a profile of their own). The M422A (known as the M-445 during WWII and then as the G-1) was also used by the US Navy during this time. Then, in July of 1943, the US Army Air Force introduced the B-10 Flight Jacket, a significant revision of the A-2; the B-10 featured an exposed zipper and was the first cloth-shelled, alpaca fur-lined jacket used by the Air Force. The jacket was meant for moderate weather, however, so the Air Force also created the B-11, an elongated version of the B-10 intended for winter wear that would eventually become the N-3B Snorkel Parka.

A year later, the Air Force created the B-15 Flight Jacket, which featured minor modifications to the B-10, namely a mouton fur collar and tabs to keep the pilot’s oxygen mask and headset wires in place. The B-15 lead to the L-2, L-2A and L-2B models, all of which featured a water-repellent nylon outer shell and a ribbed collar, hem and cuffs. The next major update came in the mid 1950’s, when the Air Force and Navy standardized the MA-1 for winter wear. Like the L-2, L-2A and L-2B versions, the MA-1 Flight Jacket eschewed the mouton fur collar because it interfered with the parachute harnesses worn by pilots. The MA-1 featured the same tabs found on the B-10, but these details were eventually removed as the jacket found widespread use throughout the US Armed Forces; another revision to the MA-1 came in 1960, when a reversible Indian Orange lining was added to create greater visibility for a crashed pilot to signal they needed to be rescued.

The most recent major revision to the flight jacket came in 1972, when the CWU 36/P and 45/P models were introduced. Still in use today, these jackets are intended for cold weather (CWU stands for Cold Weather Uniform) and are constructed from Dupont NOMEX fabric, which is fire-retardant and helps protect pilots in case of a cockpit fire or crash. The CWU 36/P and 45/P models feature two front patch pockets with slanted flaps, a rounded collar and are sewn using fire-resistant threads.

With so many versions of the Flight Jacket, constructed for different seasons and with varying details, it’s easy to see how the garment has become so ubiquitous throughout military and civilian society alike. Alpha Industries—which was founded by Samuel Gelber with the help of Herman “Breezy” Wynn and incorporated in Knoxville, TN on October 17, 1959—also played a major role in making the jacket a wardrobe staple. The company first produced the jacket in 1959 while it was bidding to win Department of Defense contracts and produced versions for commercial use, along with the M65 and other military outerwear, starting in 1970. British and Australian mods, punks and skinheads had already adopted the Flight Jacket as part of their uniforms by then, as did Hollywood; models of the jacket can be seen in films such as 1963’s The Great Escape, ’76’s Taxi Driver and, of course, ’86’s Top Gun. Since the ’80s, the popularity of the Flight Jacket has exploded as it has become a go-to garment for hip-hop artists, high-end designers, streetwear brands, fast-fashion companies and everyone in-between. The jacket is so beloved that versions made by designers like Helmut Lang and Carol Christian Poell are some of the most sought after garments on the resale market.

Cargo Pants

In 1938, the British Military instituted its now revolutionary Battle Dress Uniform (BDU), which included pants that featured a large map pocket near the front left knee and a right upper hip pocket for first aid materials. During World War II, Major William P. Yarborough, commander in the 82nd Airborne Division in the US Army, appropriated and modified the BDU pant as part of his redesign of the paratrooper uniform (aka the jump suit). Yarborough was unhappy with the jump suit, which consisted of a coverall that was worn over a regular infantry uniform and wanted a uniform that was more functional for the Airborne’s particular missions. The commander split the jump suit into a top and bottom and added oversized pockets—four on the jacket and two on the pants—that allowed for much needed additional storage. Paratroopers often required more space for items such as rations and grenades, despite the fact that they already carried 100 pounds of equipment in their bags; the cargo pockets on the pants of the updated jump suit were a vital addition that increased a paratrooper’s chance of survival.

After realizing the effectiveness of the updated jump suit, the US Army introduced the M-1943 uniform for all of its troops in 1943, which included pants that featured two side cargo pockets. The pants were discontinued a couple of years later and replaced with a version that, instead, featured front pockets. Cargo pants didn’t reemerge until the 1960s when Yarborough—who had risen to the rank of lieutenant general—redesigned troops’ jungle fatigues during the Vietnam War. The newest iteration of the pants featured seven pockets overall, including a variation of the side cargo pockets that Yarborough originally designed.

Some veterans, as well as a few civilians, wore military-issued and surplus cargo pants in the 1970s, but—due in part to the unpopularity of the Vietnam War and the resentment many citizens felt toward returning veterans—they didn’t find widespread acceptance. It took nearly 20 years, until the first wave of streetwear in 1980s and early ’90s, for cargos to catch on with a wider swath of Americans as the Vietnam War faded from collective memory and looser silhouettes became popular. Since then, cargo pants (and shorts) have become the ubiquitous uniform of outdoorsy types and suburban parents, been denounced by proponents of formal dress and developed a cult following among fashion designers and streetwear fans alike. Over the years, brands including Undercover, Engineered Garments, Julius, ACRONYM and Nom de Guerre, have all created their own unique versions of the cargo pant that are highly coveted to this day.

M65 Field Jacket

Like cargo pants, the M65 Field Jacket owes much of its existence to Major William P. Yarborough; the US army commander created the first precursor to the M65 during WWII, when he updated paratrooper uniforms to include a jacket that featured two slanted chest pockets and two waist pockets. Yarborough’s initial design lead to the introduction of the M-1943 uniform, which came in olive drab and featured a point collar with a detachable hood, a hidden front button placket, four front flap pockets and an additional layer that could be added inside for warmth. Previous US Army jackets, such as the M-1938 and M-1941 (also known as the O.D. Field Jacket), had large notch lapels and only two front pockets—details that were far less practical for the needs of modern warfare. Then, in 1949, the Office of the Quartermaster General decided to standardize US Army uniforms, which resulted in the adoption of a neutral gray-green color and the development of the M-51 Field Jacket. The M-51 was similar to the M-1943, but switched out the buttons for snap closures and came in a nine ounce water-resistant, windproof cotton sateen. The M-51 proved popular and effective and was used through the Korean War and the first five years of the US Armed Forces’ involvement in the Vietnam War.

Then in the early 1960s, Yarbrough (now a lieutenant general) decided to update the M-51 to better serve soldiers fighting in Vietnam’s tropical and, at times, brutal climate; the M-1965 (now known as the M65) Field Jacket was designed specifically to aid soldiers in surviving the country’s ever-changing weather, which included relentless rains, pounding winds and sweltering humidity. The M65 was produced in NYCO—a recently introduced, highly water-resistant cotton/nylon sateen—and came in Olive Green shade 107; the jacket also featured a front zipper and snap closures, a stand collar with a roll-out hood, four front flap pockets, Velcro tabs on the sleeves and a removable liner.

One of the first companies to produce the M65 was the recently incorporated Alpha Industries, which made more of the Field Jacket than another other company and produced over 500,000 units at the height of its production. During the 1960s, Alpha Industries also sold surplus jackets to Army/Navy stores, but, in 1970, the company’s founder, Samuel Gelber, decided to test the commercial market, producing small quantities of the jackets, including the M65 that Alpha had been producing for the military. Gelber founded two new companies—Concord Industries and Intercon Apparel—to help handle commercial sales for these jackets, which were identical to their military counterparts, save the addition of a parallel bars logo and a few new colors.

Gerber’s successful introduction of the M65 to the commercial market, along with the appearance of the jacket in two major 1970s films—Al Pacino wore an M65 in ’73’s Serpico and Robert DeNiro wore it in ’76’s Taxi Driver—established the jacket’s place in pop culture. (Although many cite John Lennon for popularizing the M65, the military garment the singer famously wore in 1972 at Madison Square Garden was actually an M-OG-107 Type III Utility Uniform that Lennon supposedly received from a veteran named James Reinhardt who served in South Korea.) Since the late ’70s, the M65 has arguably been the most ubiquitous military jacket among American civilians, which shows by the number and range of designers that have appropriated the style. Everyone from Raf Simons to Rick Owens has incorporated the M65 into their collections and it’s doubtful the jacket will lose its place as a fashion touchstone anytime soon.

Fishtail Parka

The US Army first developed the fishtail parka in 1948 and issued it for one year only, from 1949-1950. Known as the M-1948, the parka consisted of a hooded shell constructed from wind-resistant cotton sateen that came in Olive Drab shade 107 and a liner constructed from wool-pile that came in Olive Drab shade 30A; the parka featured details such as front snap and zipper closures (offset to the left for a snorkel fit), a drawstring waist, two slanted hand pockets with snap-down flaps, a left sleeve pocket for cigarettes and pencils, a liner pocket and a signature fishtail back hem, which could be tied around the wearer’s legs to help seal out cold gusts of wind.

When the US entered the Korean War roughly a year later, the fishtail parka seemed like the perfect fit to combat the coming Korean winter; however, the M-1948 was made from the best materials available and, therefore, was expensive to produce. As a solution, the US Army developed the M-1951, an updated model that was cheaper to make, but featured the same silhouette and many of the same details as the M-1948; the main difference between the models—other than the use of inferior fabrics, such as an 80/20 cotton-nylon blend for the shell instead of cotton sateen—was the addition of shoulder epaulettes (for soldiers to store their gloves).

The final incarnation of the fishtail parka was introduced in 1965. Known as the M-1965, the parka was arguably another step down in terms of quality; mostly identical to previous versions, the M-1965 featured a roomier fit, a 50/50 cotton-nylon construction and a button-on hood with fake fur trim. The US Army also produced Desert Night Camouflage and Snow Parka versions of the M-1965, each with their own unique details. The Night Camo model came with an attached hood and two front pass-through pockets; the Snow model eschewed the pockets and liner, but featured a 100% nylon construction for superior water-resistance.

Although a US Army creation through and through, the fishtail parka first entered civilian life in the UK. With a minimalist design and oversized silhouette, the parka became popular in 1950’s London among fashion-centric mods who coveted a winter coat that would keep their precisely tailored suits pristine, especially while riding a scooter. As mod style entered British pop culture in the 1960s, so did the fishtail parka, eventually becoming fashionable in the US, as well. Since then, the popularity of the fishtail parka has only increased, becoming a favorite winter garment for designers to riff on. Technical and heritage-based brands, such as Stone Island, Ten C, WTAPS and The Real McCoy’s—which makes a replica of the original M-1948—are especially fond of the fishtail parka, which is no surprise due to its history as a highly functional piece of military outerwear.